One of the more aggravating aspects of operating a land vehicle is associated with changing a tire on that vehicle that has gone flat. This process often involves removing a hub cap, loosening lug nuts, elevating the vehicle, removing the loosened lug nuts, removing the flat tire from the axle, and replacing it with another tire. The process also requires the operator to reverse the just-described process after the new tire is in place.
Loosening and tightening lug nuts generally involves applying a lug wrench to the lug nuts and rotating such lug wrench, and elevating and lowering the vehicle generally involves operating a vehicle jacking device. Both of these tools generally require some application of force thereto, with such force generally being generated from a user's arms, shoulders and back.
Changing a tire is usually an arduous task at best, but can be particularly onerous for a handicapped or elderly person or another individual who is unable to apply sufficient force to efficiently operate the lug wrench or the vehicle lifting jack.
The lug nuts are often so tightly mounted on the flat tire that such an individual cannot loosen them sufficiently to complete the tire changing operation. Furthermore, even if the vehicle jacking device has a significant mechanical advantage, such individuals often simply do not have sufficient strength to properly operate the jacking device.
While the art has included designs for hydraulic systems on a vehicle to lift that vehicle for service, such systems are often expensive, complicated and difficult to maintain. Even then, such systems do not assist in the removal of lug nuts.
While the art also includes several designs for automatic lug wrenches, such devices are generally not carried in a vehicle and are only found in service stations.
Accordingly, there is a need for an assembly which can be used by an individual to assist in manipulating the lug wrench and the vehicle jacking device so changing a flat tire can be carried out by an individual who may lack sufficient strength to operate a lug wrench or vehicle jacking device in an unaided manner, yet is simple in design and small in size so it can be easily carried in the vehicle.